1979 Warning Beacon

You definitely hit the nail on the head as far as the xenomorphs having similiar consciences enabling them to communicate. Also having watched a trailer for the blue-ray, Fassbender talks about how the drone and deacon along with all the other xenomorph types are really just a small part of an Animal Kingdom. Which means that the xenomorphs can have similiarities with, well, anything. Maybe one of them was able to decifer the engineer dialect and transfer it to the Nostromo.

Thanks and I have not seen the blu ray trailer.....probably because I dont have blu-ray so no need to tease myself. From what I remember, the warning beacon was not directed to any one ship or species but rather anyone passing by who may want to survey LV426. Since the Xenomorphs clearly had some genetic relation to the Deacons, it is safe to assume the language would have been stemmed from the Engineers making it the most primordial at the time. This is why Nostromo's computer was able to decipher it after a period of time but even the translation was still murky, like David mentioning Paradise. (That is the only deleted scene I've seen.) I should watch more clips but since this is new I kind of like brainstorming without all the info at this point. The endgame here is similar to racism and bigotry on earth. Meaning, a Xenomorph is not automatically a senseless murdering machine simply because they have the physical traits of a Xenomorph. It would be cool if an alliance was formed between humans, deacons, engineers, and xenomorphs on the basis of valuing life.

I'm not so sure. The purpose of a drone (Alien 1979) is to find hosts to make more xenomorphs, killing the host in the process. And the deacon probably has a similiar function. And as far as the engineers go, they wanted to destroy us by using the xenomorphs as their weapon. I don't mean to shoot down your thesis, but thats what I've got. Maybe I'm wrong, but we both will need to see what the blue-ray featurettes have to tell

I probably didn't spell it out properly but I am not saying a lot of Xenomorphs developed the conscience. Only a very few and those dissenters were killed after sending the beacon warning. The other xenomorphs didn't care about the beacon because they were not as intellectually intelligent and only served in the capacity of breeding more xenomorphs. Nobody will hurt my feelings by disagreeing as this is all brainstorming. I like how the deacons and xenos were developed from the engineers who, at this point appear to be the ones who created us, but I think that is just the appearance Scott wanted to give to shadow the sequel.

Also, I am not assuming the Xenomorphs on LV426 were the only ones in existence. Thus killing the dissenters there would not mean all dissenters were killed.

There's that funny scene from Dan O' Bannon's, Return Of The Living Dead, in which one of the zombies dispatches another paramedic team to come to the location of where the first paramedic team arrived and were killed by them

There is something fundamentally wrong on the above postings... The Warning Audio Message was not (could not) be sent by xenomorphs... The message was (as explained by Ash in both book and DC) that the pilot, as his last act, sent out the message that his CARGO (not a species, not an intelligent being, not a true animal of any sort) was compromised and he had to land in that moon... Actually, to be fair, the book is unclear as the nature of the infestation, but then we have Ridley Scott's words as to what those tools were. War tools, bio weapons, and the derelict was on a mission to deploy those tools somewhere...

I hadn't seen that but it is pretty funny.

Void hawk, I'm going by the movie only. Hope this clears it up: "The transmission they received was an accoustical beacon repeating at 12-second intervals, emanating from a derelict spacecraft of alien origin. " http://www.wordiq.com/definition/LV-426

I will not, right now, quote the movie (as I am at my job XD ) but yeah, the original release was very vague. BUT When I talk about ALIEN, I will ALWAYS talk about the Director's Cut, the release that should have been always the one we refer to, the release as Ridley Scott meant it to be... Director's Cut has the dialogue between Ripley and Ash, WHEN Ash explains to Ripley what was going on...and he tells her the deciphering of the message by The Company and their plans, and this is when he comments that he hoped humans would one day meet that " noble" species... Director's Cut is a lot more faithful to the book...

From the script: RIPLEY "I told you, it wasn't indigenous. There was an alien spacecraft there. A derelict ship. We homed on its beacon..." http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Aliens.html Can you help us understand what is vague about Ripley saying it was an alien spacecraft?

From the Alien script: "Ash looking at the craft on a screen. ASH Yeah. Never seen one like it. Neither has Mother." Pretty clear in the 1979 release the ship is identified as alien Ash even says the warning is not a language at all so how could a pilot say his cargo was a problem if the warning wasnt someone speaking? RIPLEY Have you tried putting the transmission through ECIU. ASH (voice over) Mother hasn't identified it as yet. It's not a language." To prevent any more confusion, here is the part of the script where Ash tells Ripley the company knew it was an Alien before they landed on LV 426: RIPLEY They wanted to investigate the Alien. No matter what happened to us. ASH That's unfair. Actually, you weren't mentioned in the order. LAMBERT Those bastards. ASH See it from their point of view. They didn't know what the Alien is." http://sfy.ru/?script=alien So in the first two films both explicitly state it was an alien spaceship. I trust this sufficiently proves the OP claim correct that the beacon was not sent by a human.

Come to think of it, I'm not aware the beacon message was ever decoded. The closest I remember is here: "Ripley at her console, still working on transmission. Gets a readout. Looks worried. Speaks into communicator. RIPLEY Ash, tell Dallas Mother speculates that the noise is some kind of warning." Here is the part where Ash tells Ripley about the specific order to set down and investigate a life form: "ASH Special Order 937 in essence asked me to direct the ship to the planet, investigate a life form, possibly hostile and bring it back for observation. With discretion, of course." The only way they coubeacone known it was alien is by the beacon.

My, script fan? It is easier to watch the original, uncut, Director's Cut. Better not quote the script as it is even a bit, humm, too winded and still missing the point by not getting the more complete version. Book and movie's original, restored AND released Director's Cut do not leave any doubts about what was going on: The Company detected and was able to decode an audio signal coming from LV426 The Company deciphered the message and knew what happened there. The Company knew they could not officially bring that dangerous creature in the message through Border Control, so they set up a way: They had one of their deep space tug ships ( the Nostromo ) roughly on that route, so they exchanged the science officer by Ash in the stop prior to the Nostromo going back to Earth, and never told any crew it was a sinthetic human (movie/book wording) with specific instructions to deviate the ship enough to pick up the weak signal. By law they would need to go to the planet because Space Navigation Rules determined that any distress signal has to be attended, or else penalties would fall to any not answering that message. Ash's mission (by Company Orders) was to get one of the crew members infected and then put him into hypersleep to bring the said crew member back to Earth. Under medical emergency disguise the crew member would go straight into The Company's hands, and shipped to its bio weapons division (the ones that divised the way to bring a possible very profitable alien weapon's tech, as they already deciphered the message) Ripley, when confronting Ash in the original/uncut/DC version has the same dialogue she had with Ash in the book, where she intuitively unveils The Company strategy to bring that dangerous organism back to Earth, and THAT is when Ash (in the movie as well as in the book) TELLS her that they knew the message's content and they wanted the bioweapon for their arsenal. THIS is when he calls the race who's last pilot left the warnig message an honorable place and wished humans could meet them out there in the Galaxy. This is what is both in the movie and in the book. The Director's Cut is more faithful to the story AND explains some of what was left unasnwered by the movie edited edition, whixh is what you are quoting here. Better get the real thing, not quoting the edited version... There was no doubt left as to why Ash was there, what were those instructions, what The Company wished and that they KNEW the message's content and wanted specifically the bioweapon there for their use.

Can you provide a source showing that in the movie Ash decoded the message that the pilot said he landed due to cargo issues? It doesn't matter what the book says as nobody is discussing the book, the book has nothing to do with this thread, and the book has nothing to do with Prometheus or Paradise. We all know there are differences between books and films but Scott is clearly going off his own movies and not the book. Thank you in advance for the link showing the reason the ship landed on LV426 was due to cargo issues.

Not Ash, it is just the tool used by the Company to secure the organism to be brought to Earth. Again someone saying the book is not important but then again it was sanctioned by Scott and written by the ones creating the script. The Company was not investigating, but planted Ash to bring back the organism for further analysis... No confusion nor doubt on this, and the Nostromo crew were just assets to be used by the Company. Clear and well in accordance to the book, which you might want to discard but is integral to the story, which is good because brings even more depth to each character.

Let's try this one more time: You claimed it was impossible the beacon was put out by a Xenomorph. You have not provided a single iota of evidence supporting that claim. There is no doubt the ship was an alien spacecraft as stated by several characters in A1 and A2. I don't think John Smith was the pilot. Chances are, an Alien was piloting the Alien ship. Since there were no other life forms on LV426, that kind of narrows down who could have sent the beacon. Now, if you have a link with evidence showing it could not have been a Xenomorph then please post it. If you don't, I'm not addressing your unsupported claim anymore as it provides no benefit.

Ok Then we trew out everything Ridley Scott said himself, as well the scripts from the movies AND the book you seem to discard readily, just to prove your initial posting was relevant. I can agree with a real based idea to discuss, but try to create a new concept over something as well understood as to who send that signal and why, well, it is a bit stretching. As I said in another line, we must draw a line between good science fiction and bad science fiction, as well as draw a line as to when and what we start as ideas if some concepts are well stablished even by the ones that created the first movie, which had sound innovative concepts and good science fiction as well. And I use ALIEN as the starting point anyway Well, you can defend your idea, but as far as I undertand it, a bio wepon that as being transported in a millitary bomber (Ridley Scott used this term, so I heard) would not set an alarm to avoid anyone landing there, or a SOS, or whatever you want that signal to be. Those are well stablished for years. And we are reverting to ALIEN and we should go to the sequel anyway...but it is intersting to see what comes on the subject Just one thing could give your idea a little chance, the audio signal could not be recorded by a Engineer, at least as we heard it on ALIEN and as it was described in the book (yes, my friend, the book indeed) so something else would have sent the signal out. I heard some expeculate the ship might be doing it, as a sentient tool as well...possible. Or one of the bio-weapons it was carrying to be used somewhere yet to be disclosed? Possible? Anything is possble, but unlikely. On this I would go for the ship... I would not want such in the sequel, at least...

You claimed it was impossible the beacon was put out by a Xenomorph. You have not provided a single iota of evidence supporting that claim.

I'm going to refer to the book, because it is the only place I ever saw the beacon referenced...... In a scene in the book when they are investigating the Space Jockey inside the crashed Derelict ship, I think it is Dallas that comes across a device that is without dust as the rest of the ship is covered in it. Lambert comes over to it and uses a device to confirm it is the device putting out the transmission. I believe they then switch it off, from memory, but I haven't read the book in quite a few years now, I'd have to go back and re-read to confirm that, but it was in the Alien Omnibus with Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 in paperback. The version I read also described the Space Jockey as being a noble race far outstripping man in their technology, and that the recording they intercepted was "very detailed, frigteningly specific" in the detail it went into in regards to the Space Jockeys' final hours/moments. Ash also states that the Space Jockey was in fact just some poor schlub in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that the Aliens were just a parasite the Space Jockey had picked up on another planet entirely. If you would rather not refer to the book, I think you're doing yourself a dis-service in all honesty. It has a lot of things in it that Ridley should have referred to in making Prometheus...... And expands on what Dan O'Bannon had in mind for the species. Alan Dean Foster was the writer, going off an early script. Which is why there are some discrepencies. But the book still stands for me.

It's my understanding all the sequels were based not on the details in the book, but on Alien '79. Is that correct? If so, it means the beacon warning was never actually translated because the closest was Ripley saying it looked like some sort of warning. Someone in the company knew there was a xenomorph but kept this info tight lipped which is why Ripley got demoted after her little nap. In P1 it looks like the Engineer was using the same ship Nostromo found on LV426. if it was the space jockey that sent the beacon, Mother should have been able to decipher it. I speculated the reason they could not decipher it was due to the Xenomorph being freshly born from the earlier amalgamations. It does not make sense Scott would use contradictory details from the book for P2 after being so careful to make P1 consistent with the Alien movies.

Sorry Cypher, quick question, what do you mean the book is the only place you ever saw the beacon referenced? In A1 it is the reason the crew was told it landed and in A2 Ripley reiterated it.

Indeed Cypher, as I recall, in the book (got to read those pages again to be more precise) Ash ideed says they were not sure if the creature was on board on purpose, and they do not even knew if it was indigenous to that moon, although unlikely by the message's content. Ridley Scott later let it clear it was a bioweapon, as he shoot it to be it for the eggs were neatly stored and under the protection of a stasys field. He made it clear theye were bioweapons to be used, and said the ship was there "for a long time" and the bok is npt that precise, although describing large numbers of the egg on the cave they were found. The changes in the movie were for the better in this aspect. I was rewatching ALIEN and the DC has strong hints as to exactly this, as The Company wanted the creature for their labs and devised a plan to get it to Earth, that is why Ash had his instructions clear cut. I will read the book and watch the whole DC again for measure but yeah, hints and a more faithful adaptation, but that specific dialogue is not there (memory played a trick on me thsi time XD ) But the idea stands that on the movie version the concept of The Company knowing it all is very strong otherwise the whole plot would be very weird to accept, as in the movie Ash was put in the Nostromo in the stop right before the last trip of that ship (alongside Ripley to tell the truth) with the sole purpose of bring the creature to Weyland Ind. I think Ridely Scott will not deal with that ship from ALIEN in Prometheus 2, as it is old story and has been lying dormant there for 2200 to 1800 years (by Ridley Scott's account of that ship - to keep track on references and data) but it might or might not have a connection to what happened in the installation we see in Prometheus. The strong hint on Prometheus is that the Engineers are a highly rituaistic culture (if we take they used to sacrifice their own to seed planets) and at installation is a mix of temple and weapons depot, one of possibly millions spread in the galaxy after millions of years of civilization. As a weapon depot it is very likely that the derelict from ALIEN was there for suplying and loading, and the mess happened...maybe the outbreak on that installation (if we assume that one of their weapons went off and killed them) was the reason for the incident on that ship from LV426, but given the dates Ridley Scott set for that incident in particular but I do not think it will be that. They probably were aware of that incident on that installaton given their proximity but would not dare investigating for the pilot sent off that warning beacon before dying on his chair to avoid any more landings. That or we might see in the sequels that pilot was a war victim, his ship attacked by the same type of weapon he was carrying, or it was sabotaged on its way to the deployment point. I would be happy to see such being explained sometime in the future, but they might not do it as Ridley Scott already explained in a way that ship and what happened there. But such remains to be seen on the upcoming sequels.

LV426 could come into play in P2 if Weyland's backdrop is further revealed to foreshadow the looming battle sure to happen between the different species. One possibility is showing the warning beacon was a myth planted by the company to get Nostromo to land. A generic beacon seems too primitive for the technology displayed by the engineers on LV226. The good part about P2 is it can run parallel to the Alien series beginning with A2. Have no idea what time frame P2 is set in. If anyone knows that would be helpful.

You have some serious issues @Uneeque. There are people on this site that know so much more then you about the original film-Alien. They give you there opinions, that in my opionion are correct, but you cannot seem to open your mind to the truth. You must be young probably. Yes thats the problem.

@Uneeque the distress signal sounded almost like a whale, unless your saying the xenos sound like that, it was a creepy eerie sound and it would be most likely that the jockey sent it, since xenomorphs aren't intelligent enough to send a distress signal nor can they operate a ship.

@king. I was speculating the species was the result of the Engineer being killed on LV223. The xenomorph had not fully formed yet and still had a conscience as stated in the OP. In A1979, Ash said it was not a language at all and it was never actually decoded.

@Rubirosa. Thank you so much for the feedback. Maybe you can succeed where Voidhawk failed and link the 1979 movie script showing where the beacon signal was completely decoded and the pilot saying he had to land on LV426 due to cargo issues. Look forward to that link.

Thats your problem @Uneeque you continue to mention scripts and so on. You have to forget about all that and stick to the film itself.

@Uneeque You are unique in one thing, creating a concept that contradicts what fans of the ALIEN know for a long time, and is here trying to change for your argument something the director's himself already explaining: The Derelict was there for around 2200 to 1800 years prior to Prometheus events THe Pilot left te message before dying as a warning of what happened there. The xeno cgo at that ship were bio-weapons and one got compromised and killed the pilot. These are thibgs well stablished for any ALIEN fan for decades, but you are trying to stirr the waters with this thread which began on a totally incorrect argument. I have my quals with concepts introduced in the franchised after ALIENS, but I have to accept them as they are part of the frachise (but I try to argue against it using the logic from the original movie). I try to discuss ideas which could bring back the original Space Jockey species still I know the engineers are here to stay, although we have some hopes of something new or surprising ahead with the sequels, but this thread of yours is funny because it began with something that was not even a doubt since ever... The sequenves and scenes that hint at what was happeneing (as you want to use the movie alone) are even more clear than the scenes you used to put your assumption that Weyalnd being on the ship was not a surprise...just to use your own reasoning. This whole thread is based on an idea you whiped out from nothing but your wish for it being so, deleting a subject already known to ANY Alien fan. I do apologise for my carrying out on the movie subject as the book is the clear written explanation whereas the movie put the idea as implicit, but then, it is implicit they were there not to investigate but to "bring back alien organism" so no doubt as to what was there is left. Not bring back "a" alien organism...Mother's registry on this. English is a very objective language. They were there to bring THE alien organism, not A alien organism. They KNEW... The whole machination to put the Nostromo there, putting Ash there, everything was due they knowing the message content, as it was "frightening clear" and well, to be really objective, implying that the xeno was the one sending the message is something no one, in decades, ever said. The concept is just "alien" to the series, and I am not saying it is constructively original, because it does not depart from anything logic or in the movies or the book you so ignore, but from your seemingly wish to be so original as to create this idea over something that cannot sustain itself. The whole initial pot is simply nonexistant. You may ignore us here, but then at least respect the ones that shoot the movie decades ago and are back making the sequels. You do not listen to us, but at least do not try to ignore what the director himself said about the very elements you are trying to twart. The Derelict is part of the story, yes, for sure. But it has been there for thousands of years. The derelict was transporting a cgo of bio weapons, and one got loose. The message was left by the pilot, not by the weapon that killed him. The company knew what they were doing as to even plan get one of the crew members infected and bring him in hypersleep infected to extract the organism back on Earth. (movie, movie...how eager was Ash to put the poor guy in hypersleep, it is not so?) I was wrong about the clarity on the movie, but the hints more than warrant it being more faithful to the book than you want give credit... You might try to ignore the facts we pose, but ignoring the director and creators of the franchise does create a serious flaw on your arguing...